Pneumatic spring



Nov. 13, 1928.

G. R. JOUGHINS PNEUMATIC SPRING Filed Jan. 15, 1923 g/Sheets-Sheet 2 ////////////1 I ll.

I Q I INVENTOR Patented Nov. 13,1928.

UNITED. ST

ATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

enone'nnonnnr .iouonms, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

PNETVIMATIC srnme.

Application filed. January 15. 1923. Serial No. 512 844V My invention relates to pneumatic springs and is embodied in a controlled recoil air cushion device, particularly adapted for. use

vehicles but which may v a spring under be used in any position that is suitable and and Fig. 8 a side glevw lSan endy 1- on the diaphragms tion of the same.

the valve in the plunger and section of the same. Figure 6 is a bottom section at AA of the rod 5.

Ill)

The main partsof the spring comprise a cylinder 1 closed at one end by a cover 2; a piston or plunger 3 fitted to the other end.

Several floating der into completely enclosed spaces and are supported in their concentric position by a rod or rods, such as the extension rod 5 at tached to the cover of the closed end, and are distance spaced as shown in the accompanying drawing, and comparatively air tight, by being made of a suitable diameter both at the clrcumference and in the hole so that each diaphragm, wherever prearranged to form a division of the cylinder, will rest both on the inclined edges of the cylinder and on the extension rod. All these diaphragms are fitted with several ample sized check valves '6; illustrated by Figures 2 and 3, showing a portion of the diaphragms, 4, with the superimposed valves, 6, suitably attached thereto in an ordinary manner and preferably having a spring 6 to normally hold the valve in the closed position, opening upwards 0nly,to allow the air which may be quickly displaced by the inward action of the plunger to flow freely towards the closed end, they also have constricted perforations 7 which compel the highly compressed air to return slowly tonow provided for absorbing-1 that the drawings.

parts are, however,

The closed end may be (les of the diaphragms from off Fig. 2 is a plan view of the valve, 6, used' phragms a little,

diaphragms 4L, unattached to the cylinderor the piston, fitinto thecyl H in der from wall to wall and divide the cylin-' diaphragms.

wards the plunger and thusmodify and control the recoil.

Ordinary metal springs, 13, of suitable design may be arranged between the several diaphragms, and the cylinder cover, for the purpose of holding them symmetrical and to keep them down to their respective positions it the rush of air tends to lift them up too high.

To operate the spring it must be charged with suflicient compressed air through an or.- dinary inlet supply valve, 14 to move the plunger to a normal loaded position; its action when working maybe described as follows. In its normal loaded position the plunger displace one or two or three their seats and carry them some distance towards the closed end of the cylinder; any heavy shock now applied to the plunger will cause it to travel 7 still further towards the upper end and it will carry along some more diaphragms; in the meantime the compressed air opens up the check valves, perhaps unseats the diaand is nearly all'forced by the plunger into the upper part of the cylin I der where it is trapped and confined by the If nowthe load on the plunger is partially relieved, it will tend to return to its normal position, but can only do so at a' rate governed by the amount of the highly compressed air which can filter through the erforations provided in the 4 ach diaphragm becomes seated as the plunger recedes and immediately commences to do its part in controlling the recoil which may, by controlling the return upper diaphragms.

flow of the air, be modified to a large extent,

' as may be desired.

The extension rod shown at 5 has one end: fixed in the head which seals the end of the cylinder, itis tapered for a distance to suport the diaphragms and then made parallel to fit into the plunger which thus supports the other end of the rod. A leakage groove is indicated at 8 and illustrated by Figure 6,

which shows an end view of the rod, 5, and

the leakage groove, 8.

In the drawing, the inside walls of the cylinder are shown as enlarged towards the upper end but this taper is made for the better support of the diaphragms at their circumference.

The leakage from the plunger is intercepted by a flexible hose connection 9 made of rubber or other material which would be cemented and banded to the lower end of the cylinder and to the bottom of the plunger.

If it is made of a corrupated section to have a concertina action it wi l act-as a pump and return the leakage to the cylinder through a conduit with check values, as shown at 10 Which is. further illustrated by Fi 'ures 4: and 5, showing the plunger, 3, the valve 105 the valve guide, ll, and the cotter, 12, to

limit the movement of the valve.

Sets of such springs maybe arranged in nests, each spring may have its diaphragms spaced diiierently to produce a more uni form recoil. i

lVhat- I claim s: Y 1. A pneninatiesp inwhicha gaseous fluid enclosed and controlled within a rigid metal cylinder is the only load supporting resilient element, comprising a cylinder closed at one end disc shaped diaphragms within the cylinder and placed transversely thereof to divide the cylinder space into separate portions and which have a longitudinal movement relative thereto; a reciproeating plunger fitted to the other end of the cylinder and means for transmitting the gaseous fluid and controlling its movements to and from the various portions into which the cylinder is divided by the diaphragms, the cylinder cover and the plunger. '2. The combination of a gas-eons fluid en-' close'd'and cdntrolledwithin a'rigid metal cylinder an'dt'o'rming the only load supporting resilient element, a cylinder, closed at one end; a reciprocating plunger atthe other end; distance spaced unattached'diaphragms Within the cylinder and transverse thereof and means for conveying and controlling compressed gaseous fluid into and out of said spaces. 7 V

3. A pneumatic spring comprlsing a cyllargedtowards'its upper end; a cover to seal said end; transverse movable dlaphragnis seated at spaced distances within said tapered portion and a parallel portion at the other end of the cylinder within which a reciprocating plunger is applied.

4. A pneumatic spring consisting of a cylfinder; a cylinder cover at one end to which inder having itsinside bore tapered and enis fixed an extei' 'sio'n rod protruding inside.

the cylinder said extension rod'being tapered and enlarged towards its lower end and transverse movable diapln'agms seated thereon atspaced distances.

5. A pneumatic spring comprising a tapered bored cylinder closed at one end; a parallel reciprocating plunger at the other end and movable diaphragm's placed within the cylinder andtransve'rse thereof, "sa-id'diaph'ragms resting upon the tapered sidewalls I of said cylinder and upon a tapered exten-i sion rod attached to the cylinder cover of *the closed end.

6. In a pneumatic spring, a leakage pump comprising/a flexible hose having 'one end attached to the barrel of the cylinder, outside, and the other end to the bottom of the .l '5 a uit for the 'r'eturnvof the York, this 'si-Xth 

